Can artificial intelligence help shape smarter cardiovascular policies across Europe?

What if policymakers across Europe had faster, clearer and more reliable data to guide decisions in cardiovascular health? Addressing that challenge, one of JACARDI’s pilot teams from CNIC presented their work at the ESC Digital & AI Summit 2025, showcasing AI innovations designed to turn evidence into actionable policy.

At the European Society of Cardiology Digital & AI Summit 2025, researchers Fatima Sanchez-Cabo, Juan Ignacio Alvarez Arenas, Daniel Jiménez Carretero, from the Computational Systems Biomedicine group at CNIC (Spanish Cardiovascular Research Center), and active members of JACARDI’s Working Group on Data Availability, Quality, Accessibility and Sharing, presented their poster: CARMINA: Optimizing low-parameter language models for high-quality cardiovascular research assistance. The work was featured in the session From bench to bedside: the potential roles of large language models in cardiovascular medicine, moderated by Professor Lis Neubeck, from Edinburgh Napier University; and Associate Professor Johan Verjans MD PhD FESC FRACP, from the University of Adelaide.

Why does this matter?

Within JACARDI’s Pilot 57, CNIC is developing EUROCARDIAB, a pioneering federated data platform integrating cardiovascular health indicators from across Europe. One of its key features is a CVD impact simulator that models how changes in risk factors could reduce event prevalence, providing policy makers with reliable, data-driven scenarios for national planning.

A dedicated web front-end will share these insights and will also host CARMINA (Cardiovascular And Research-driven Molecular Insight with Novel Assistant), an AI-powered research assistant designed to support specialized cardiovascular research. CARMINA will orchestrate the Intelligent Policy Agent (IPA), enabling autonomous trend analysis, computational modeling of interventions, and the creation of clear, actionable policy briefings for decision-makers in cardiology and diabetology.

This year’s ESC Digital & AI Summit motto, “Prepare for the next frontier in cardiovascular care”, aligns strongly with JACARDI’s overarching mission: accelerating patient outcomes and transforming clinical workflows across Europe through better data, smarter tools and more equitable care pathways.

Today, accurate, comparable and timely data on cardiovascular disease and diabetes remain limited, yet this information is essential for developing targeted policies that reduce disease burden, improve healthcare for all citizens and help close persistent inequalities.

The ESC Digital & AI Summit remains a key meeting point for global leaders, innovators and technology experts shaping the digital transformation of cardiovascular care, and pilots like this one from CNIC demonstrate how JACARDI is already turning that vision into meaningful, data-driven progress across Europe.

Learn more about CARMINA here.

Slovenia’s breakthroughs in the fight against diabetes

This year’s National Diabetes Conference in Slovenia placed a strong spotlight on JACARDI and the country’s three national pilot projects addressing diabetes. These initiatives are designed to:

• Identify individuals with undiagnosed type 2 diabetes or intermediate hyperglycemia, especially among vulnerable groups who rarely access preventive services.
  
• Increase participation in primary-care education programs among people already diagnosed with type 2 diabetes or intermediate hyperglycemia.
  
• Boost attendance in the national diabetic retinopathy screening program, a crucial step in preventing diabetes-related blindness.

Slovenia is well aware of its key challenges in diabetes care and is actively addressing them through the nearly complete CARE4DIABETES project and its ongoing work within JACARDI. Both efforts are fully aligned with the country’s National Diabetes Plan, ensuring that strategic intent is translated into concrete action.

Why JACARDI matters for Slovenia

In an interview conducted during the conference, Dr Jelka Zaletel (NIJZ Slovenia) explained why JACARDI is uniquely important for the country. Slovenia knows its main barriers in managing the diabetes burden: many individuals with type 2 diabetes remain undiagnosed; those who would benefit most from preventive visits or early detection often do not enter the healthcare system; and attendance in primary-care education programs remains lower than expected.

The JACARDI pilot projects help tackle these issues head-on:

• Pilot 1: Developing new, community-based approaches to reach people unlikely to attend preventive check-ups.
  
• Pilot 2: Understanding and addressing why individuals with type 2 diabetes do not participate in primary-care education programs—and redesigning these programs accordingly.
  
• Pilot 3: Improving uptake of the national diabetic retinopathy screening program. Although 30,000 people currently attend screenings, an estimated 150,000 Slovenians live with diabetes. JACARDI helps uncover where the gaps lie and how to close them.
  

A fourth pilot: Strengthening cardiovascular care

These efforts are embedded in Slovenia’s National Diabetes Plan, supported by clear action plans. The National Diabetes Conference, held every November, is one such action, providing an annual moment to share progress and results from JACARDI.

Slovenia is also implementing a fourth JACARDI pilot project focused on cardiovascular health. It aims to harmonize approaches across rehabilitation centers treating patients after acute coronary events—an area where attendance is also suboptimal. This work aligns with the Ministry of Health’s decision to develop a National Strategy for Cardiovascular Health, reinforcing how JACARDI can support strategic planning beyond diabetes.

Relive the Conference

A mood video from the event captures the atmosphere at the venue. Although only speakers and roundtable participants were physically present, the online turnout was impressive, with more than 170 remote attendees.

You can also watch the full interview with Dr Jelka Zaletel, where she explores in more depth how Slovenia leverages JACARDI to address long-standing gaps in diabetes and cardiovascular care.

Five EU initiatives unite to scale health literacy action to tackle NCDs

A powerful spirit of collaboration marked this year’s European Public Health Conference held in Helsinki from 12 to 14 November: five major European projects – JACARDI, JA PreventNCD, PIA, careGIVR and PREVENTIA – jointly hosted a high-level workshop during the conference. This collaborative session demonstrated how cross-project synergy is the key to accelerating effective, inclusive health literacy strategies across the continent to curb the rising burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) through more accessible, inclusive and evidence-based prevention strategies.

The workshop, titled “8.H. Round table: Health Literacy in Action: Innovative and Inclusive Approaches from European Joint Initiatives”, brought together leading EU-funded initiatives involving over 100 partner institutions across 24 countries. Discussions centered on the critical challenge of reaching vulnerable groups – such as migrants, young people and populations in disadvantaged settings, who remain disproportionately affected by low health literacy and NCDs.

The session emphasized two core outcomes for participants:

• Shared approaches: Understanding how five major European projects integrate health literacy into diverse public health systems, leveraging strong equity and diversity lenses.
• Roadmap principles: Highlighting the common goals and strategies these initiatives have defined to strengthen health literacy action across different European contexts.

The JACARDI health literacy team – coordinated by Santé publique France and Biosistemak Research Institute, Basque Country, Spain – used the platform to showcase its progress in building measurable health literacy impact against cardiovascular disease (CVD) and diabetes (DM) risks and other NCDs across Europe.

The JACARDI WP6 Health Literacy team presented the extensive work completed during the first two years of the project aimed at improving health literacy and raising awareness of CVD and DM risks at both individual and societal levels. This work includes mapping existing health literacy development activities across EU countries and implementing 25 codesigned pilot projects across 13 countries.

These projects are implemented following participatory processes where key stakeholders and target groups are involved from the very beginning. Their approaches in action include applying a common framework for systematically evaluating the equity and diversity lens across pilots. 

The roadmap principles guiding this work rely on a shared 12-step implementation framework, ensuring consistency across all 143 JACARDI pilots and reinforcing the integration of sustainability plans to enable future scale-up. Additionally, JACARDI assesses health literacy initiatives at multiple levels of interventions, project teams, and work packages to support continuous learning and improvement.

Through the European Public Health Conference workshop, the JACARDI team showcased its commitment to ensure health literacy initiatives reach everyone, regardless of background, language, or level of literacy. By bringing together JA PreventNCD, PIA, careGIVR, and PREVENTIA in a single collaborative session, JACARDI created a unique space to align methodologies, identify synergies, and strengthen a connected European approach to preventing non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

During the session, participants explored how projects are embedding cultural diversity into their methodologies and activities to better reach vulnerable groups and improve health equity across Europe. They also examined how inclusive health literacy strategies can support health systems in combating misinformation and disinformation, particularly in culturally and linguistically diverse communities disproportionately affected by it, and what lessons can be drawn from applying different approaches to health literacy across populations, settings, and system levels. They also discussed how this diversity can inform and strengthen national and EU-level policy.The insights generated in Helsinki will help shape the next phase of Europe’s health promotion agenda, ensuring that individuals are not only informed but empowered to understand, act, appraise, and apply health information.

Mitja Lainscak: My hope is that we can intervene earlier for more patients

“It’s important that the JACARDI initiative and its outcomes gain visibility within the scientific community”, stresses Mitja Lainscak, Professor of Internal Medicine at the University of Ljubljana and member of JACARDI’s Scientific Advisory Board. As a clinical practitioner and researcher, he anticipates that collaboration will be one of the most important positive outcomes of the project, along with effects going from the regional or national level to the international level.

What significance does JACARDI hold for you and your organization?

I think that the organisations involved really appreciate being part of such a large initiative, trying to bring together efforts in the field of cardiovascular medicine and diabetes and to stimulate some potential cross-talk between the partners. The consortium is hosting more than 140 pilot projects with some of them related within or across the field.

One of the main benefits of an initiative like this, is that people talk to each other and realise that they can collaborate, so that their efforts can be transferred from the regional or national level to the international level.

How do you see JACARDI’s role in tackling the increasing prevalence of cardiovascular disease and diabetes in Europe?

Our society is aging and that’s an unavoidable reality. Advances in medicine have played a significant role in this trend. In addition, improvements in detection tools and the capabilities of our healthcare system have enhanced our ability to identify patients more effectively.

I hope we will identify more people at risk, as well as those with single or multiple conditions. Early detection is crucial because it allows us to start treatment earlier in the course of the disease, rather than waiting until it has progressed and caused irreversible damage. My hope is that we can intervene earlier for more patients.

How do you think JACARDI will influence future collaboration on cardiovascular disease and diabetes prevention in Europe?

JACARDI is a Joint Action, supported by the European Union and recognised by the scientific community. In a previous newsletter, I read a message from Professor Thomas F. Lüscher, the President of European Society of Cardiology highlighting the importance of JACARDI in shaping the future of cardiovascular disease and diabetes management through collaborative, data-driven care for the benefit of patients. I believe a similar message will come from the diabetes community. So, as said previously, having like-minded experts in the same room encourages discussion and cross-fertilisation of ideas. I anticipate that participants will begin to collaborate outside of the JACARDI framework, which I see as a positive outcome.

The European Society of Cardiology and the diabetes associations are already aligned, and I believe JACARDI has a crucial role to play in promoting future collaboration.

It’s important that the JACARDI initiative and its outcomes, such as pilot results, gain visibility in the scientific community. Researchers need to present their findings at conferences and submit their work for publication. This is essential to demonstrate that the funding received has been used effectively. Ultimately, it’s important to ensure that the investments made produce tangible results.

Based on your experience as a cardiologist, what do you consider the most critical factors in improving data-driven healthcare outcomes?

This is an extremely important question. Speaking from a national perspective, as someone from Slovenia, I’d like to extend this to an international context.

I believe that the lack of IT support for collecting data is a crucial issue. Slovenia is a small country with 2 million inhabitants and 14 hospitals, but we lack a unified IT system across these institutions. Although all hospitals are publicly owned and we have a single insurance provider, we struggle to collect comprehensive epidemiological data. We have a national hospitalization database, but it doesn’t give you the granularity of patient data.

The first necessary step would be the development of IT solutions, possibly using artificial intelligence, to extract the necessary data from medical records, particularly in terms of epidemiology. In my opinion, we still lack accurate figures for many diseases, both in Slovenia and across Europe.

Without this data, we cannot fully understand the scope of the problem, making it difficult to effectively allocate resources for patient management. I believe that the JACARDI pilots will showcase best practices in addressing this epidemiological data gap.

In terms of how JACARDI’s research and initiatives could support lasting, practical changes in clinical practice across Europe, particularly in Slovenia, I anticipate that most findings will primarily reflect the pilot country’s specific context . However, some lessons can be adapted across borders. Each country involved will focus on its specific challenges, but I believe that through meetings like this, where participants are encouraged to share their work, others can identify relevant lessons.

The perspective of the Advisory Board members is crucial in this process, as we aim to integrate ideas from different work packages that may not always communicate effectively with each other. This collaboration is essential.

Dr. Mitja Lainscak is a Professor of Internal Medicine at the University of Ljubljana and conducts clinical practice and research at the Department of Internal Medicine, General Hospital Murska Sobota, Slovenia. He is the Director of the Slovenian Research Agency and his clinical and research interest is cardiovascular medicine with particular emphasis on heart failure, pharmacotherapy, and metabolism with body composition. He has published more than 170 papers and holds an Executive Committee member position at the Heart Failure Association of the ESC.  

Learn more about Mitja Lainscak and his work and connect on LinkedIn.

CaregIVR: How virtual reality is transforming caregiver health

CaregIVR addresses the critical challenge posed to informal caregivers who support individuals with chronic illnesses, particularly cardiovascular conditions. This role can place a heavy emotional and physical burden on caregivers, often negatively impacting their own well-being.

The project explores how Immersive Virtual Reality (IVR) can be utilized as an innovative digital tool to support cardiovascular health promotion among these informal caregivers. CaregIVR’s mission is to develop immersive VR content that provides educational and relaxing experiences aimed at helping to reduce stress, promote healthy habits, and raise awareness about self-care.

This EU-funded Action Grant launched on 1 November 2023, and is scheduled to conclude on 31 October 2026.

CaregIVR employs a human-centred approach to digital health. By focusing specifically on the mental and physical health of caregivers, the project contributes not only to individual well-being but also to the development of more sustainable and inclusive healthcare systems.

Substantial challenges the project must navigate include adapting content to different caregiver profiles, ensuring accessibility and usability of the technology, and measuring the real impact of VR on emotional and physical health indicators.

Since its launch, CaregIVR has completed several foundational milestones:

• Comparative Analysis and State of Art Report: A report was produced in April 2024 detailing cardiovascular diseases, relevant country regulations, and systematic analyses of the condition of informal caregivers.
• Focus Group and Design Work: A Focus Group discussing the app and IVR design was held in June 2024.

Training: Training sessions for caregivers using IVR equipment and software are taking place between September 2025 and April 2026.

The core strategic impact of CaregIVR is achieved through experiential learning facilitated by IVR technology. The IVR is developed to simulate the sensory and emotional realities of living with limitations after a stroke. Through this technology, caregivers can gain experiential insight, moving beyond clinical descriptions to achieve a more embodied understanding of symptoms and behaviours. The content is expected to reduce stress, promote healthy habits, and raise awareness about self-care among caregivers.

Professor Helena José, Coordinator of the Action Grant CaregIVR and President of ESSATLA, notes that caregivers often express deep commitment to their loved ones but “struggle to truly grasp what the person is experiencing”. The project was developed to address this gap by using immersive virtual reality.

A Polish participant in an Informal Caregivers’ Focus Group shared the difficulty of providing support when unable to fully understand the patient’s reality: “The hardest thing for me was understanding what my husband felt… some of the symptoms are difficult for me as a healthy person to imagine”. This participant reflected, “Today I realized that I am constantly trying to pull him back into my reality. Or maybe it should be the other way around – should I try to enter his world?”. The IVR simulation aims to assist in stepping into the patient’s world, helping caregivers better understand their perspective.

Whether you are a healthcare professional, caregiver, researcher, or simply interested in new approaches to informal care, you are invited to join the growing community. The final goal is to share, connect, and help co-create technological solutions with real human impact.

JACARDI’s synergies with Action Grants: reducing the cardiovascular burden together

The five Action Grants – CaregIVR, PERFECTO, Preventia, PROVIDE, RESIL-Card – and JACARDI are all anchored in the urgent mission of tackling the burden of cardiovascular diseases (CVD), Europe’s leading cause of death, which is especially timely as the European Commission develops the European Cardiovascular Health Plan (CVH Plan). This partnership is built upon the understanding that up to 80% of premature CVD deaths are preventable, and aims to strengthen cohesive EU-level action. 

The overarching goal uniting JACARDI and these projects is the comprehensive reduction of the immense public health burden caused by Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), particularly Cardiovascular Diseases (CVD) and diabetes. This is pursued through a shared commitment to developing and promoting the implementation of validated best practices throughout the entire patient journey.

Within the implementation domain, projects focused on early detection, such as PERFECTO and PROVIDE, are collaborating with JACARDI WP8 to develop standardized screening protocols. Addressing health system continuity, RESIL-Card partners with JACARDI WP9 to specifically build resilience in cardiovascular care pathways, ensuring high-quality care continuity during crises.

Key expected outcomes include strengthening patient-centered approaches, utilizing novel digital tools like predictive algorithms by PROVIDE and immersive technology by CaregIVR, and developing tools such as the resilience assessment toolkit by RESIL-Card. 

Synergies around equity are strengthened by sharing JACARDI’s “4Cs” Framework, which helps projects like CaregIVR and Preventia ensure targeted outreach to vulnerable populations. Both Preventia and PROVIDE showcase the central role of innovative digital tools in prevention efforts. 

By coordinating our approach across technical work packages among these projects, we maximize collective impact and ensure that project outcomes translate effectively into actionable policy, creating roadmaps that support the scaling up of experiences at the national and regional levels.Ultimately, this unified collaboration contributes to promoting prevention, early detection, education, and sustained behavioral change for a healthier future.

A model of excellence in the Marche Region: turning a regional best practice into a shared European achievement

The Marche Region stands as a European model of excellence in managing diabetes. Its participation in JACARDI builds on more than a decade of coordinated innovation, legislation, and stakeholder engagement.

The foundation was laid with Regional Law No. 9/2015, which established a network of Diabetes Centres connected by a shared electronic record and coordinated through the Regional Diabetes Committee. Led by the Marche Regional Health Agency (Agenzia Regionale Sanitaria – ARS), this committee unites specialists, family doctors, pediatricians, and patient associations to ensure equal access and consistent quality of care. Recognized by the European Commission’s Best Practice Portal and the Italian National Agency for Regional Healthcare Services (Agenzia Nazionale per i servizi sanitari Regionali – AGENAS), this network became a reference model for chronic disease management.

When the European Union launched JACARDI, the Marche Region’s mature system made it a natural choice for leadership. The region now co-coordinates the work on patient self-management and runs five pilot projects that align with prevention, early diagnosis, and integrated care. All activities are co-designed with professionals and patient associations, ensuring that regional strengths feed into European innovation while new knowledge returns to improve local services.

As highlighted by Flavia Carle, Director of the Regional Health Agency, participating in a European Joint Action offers “two main benefits: contributing our experience to the development of guidelines and organizational models, and learning from other European countries to guarantee equity across our region.”

Digital innovation plays a central role. As Massimiliano Petrelli notes, the region’s electronic medical records now allow real-time data access, enabling faster and more precise interventions. JACARDI provides new resources to expand this capacity and strengthen digital health literacy among professionals and patients alike.

Beyond technology, JACARDI promotes a cultural shift toward shared responsibility. The projects now implemented in all the Health Authorities of the Regional Healthcare system will enhance health literacy, empowering citizens to make informed decisions about their care.

As highlighted by Paolo Muratori, President of the Marche Federation of Diabetic Associations, patient associations act as vital bridges between institutions and the community, ensuring that patient voices help shape regional policies.

In just two years, the Marche JACARDI team has launched pilot projects in almost all Diabetes Centres, produced educational materials, and trained healthcare staff, embedding these innovations into the regional system.

The Marche Region’s journey—from pioneering legislation to European leadership—shows how consistent collaboration and commitment to equity can turn a regional best practice into a shared European achievement. JACARDI is not just a project but a collective investment in knowledge, empowerment, and health for all.

More than cancer: The silent epidemic in Europe 

“I almost didn’t see my daughter graduate.” Alice, a 45-year-old mother of two, was the picture of health, or so she thought. Until one day, a sudden heart attack left her in the ICU, fighting for her life. Like many others, Alice was unaware of her cardiovascular risk factors. Her story is a stark reminder of the silent epidemic plaguing Europe: cardiovascular disease (CVD). Historically, CVD has been the leading cause of death in the European Union, claiming over 1.8 million lives annually and affecting more than 60 million people. [1],[2] Recent improvements in cardiovascular care in some countries highlight progress, but the burden of CVD remains unparalleled.

Despite its massive toll, CVD lacks the policy attention it deserves. Rising obesity and diabetes rates, particularly among younger populations, are fueling this crisis, while the decline in mortality rates has slowed alarmingly. Marleen Kestens, Manager of CVD Prevention Policies at the European Heart Network (EHN), underscores this urgency:

“CVD remains the leading cause of death in the EU, surpassing cancer and diabetes, yet it has long lacked the policy attention it urgently requires. The progress achieved through Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan presents a clear opportunity: its lessons, good practices, and even its unimplemented measures on prevention and nutrition can help shape an effective Cardiovascular Health (CVH) Plan. With up to 80% of premature CVD deaths being preventable through public health measures and/or preventative treatment, the time to act is now to make the healthy choice the default choice.” 

A blueprint for action

The success of Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, reflected in the fact that over 90% of its actions are completed or well underway. Council Recommendations on cancer screening, on vaccine-preventable cancers, and on smoke- and aerosol-free environments provide recommendations to Member States and are extending access to important tools such as cancer screening, Human Papillomavirus and Hepatitis B vaccination, and strengthening protection from cancer risk factors such as tobacco. [3] 

These principles are equally vital for tackling CVD. JACARDI is committed to building on this momentum. By collaborating with organizations like EHN and supporting the European Alliance for Cardiovascular Health (EACH)’s roadmap, JACARDI aims to promote preventative care and education, advocate for evidence-based policy changes, and foster partnerships to enhance cardiovascular health across Europe.

For the Coordination Team of JACARDI, “the current policy momentum presents a pivotal opportunity to advance the development and implementation of a dedicated EU Cardiovascular Health Plan. Building on the achievements and lessons of Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, such a framework must be tailored to the distinct complexities of cardiovascular disease prevention, early detection, and integrated care. We strongly endorse this strategic direction. We are firmly committed to contributing to and advocating for a comprehensive, equity-driven EU response.”

Central to JACARDI’s mission is the promotion of equity and diversity inclusion, grounded in gender-responsive and context-specific approaches. “We believe that only by embedding these principles at every level of policy and practice can we truly reduce the burden of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, and ensure that no one is left behind,” explain the members of JACARDI’s Coordination Team.

Aligned with JACARDI’s vision, EACH envisions a future where, by 2030, premature and preventable deaths from CVD are reduced by one-third [4]. This ambitious goal aligns with Sustainable Development Goal Target 3.4 and prioritizes access to high-quality risk assessments, personalized care pathways, and reduction of health inequalities across Europe.

Turning vision into reality

Alice’s story, though fictional, represents the reality faced by millions. CVD is a silent epidemic, but it doesn’t have to remain that way. By learning from the successes of Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan and implementing a robust Cardiovascular Health Plan, fewer lives will be lost to preventable cardiovascular conditions. Together, we can make cardiovascular health a priority across Europe and create a future where the healthy choice becomes the default choice.

About the CVH Plan

The European Commission is currently developing the European Cardiovascular Health Plan (CVH Plan) to address Europe’s leading cause of death. In parallel, the European Alliance for Cardiovascular Health (EACH) has published A European Cardiovascular Health Plan: The Roadmap, which sets out a shared vision and concrete recommendations to reduce premature and preventable cardiovascular deaths by one third by 2030. Together, these efforts aim to ensure universal access to risk assessments, patient-centred care, and comprehensive strategies for prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation. Learn more.

Sources: 

[1] Fighting cardiovascular disease – a blueprint for EU action, June 2020. European Heart Network and the European Society of Cardiology. https://ehnheart.org/about-cvd/eu-action-on-cvd/ 

[2] Samuel Chin Wei Tan, Bin-Bin Zheng, Mae-Ling Tang, Hongyuan Chu, Yun-Tao Zhao, Cuilian Weng, Global Burden of Cardiovascular Diseases and its Risk Factors, 1990–2021: A Systematic Analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021, QJM: An International Journal of Medicine, 2025; hcaf022, https://doi.org/10.1093/qjmed/hcaf022

[3] Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan: a comprehensive action plan working hand in hand with the Cancer Mission. European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies: Domenico Fiorenza Glanzmann, Vittoria Carraro, Philippe Roux; CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO. 12 March 2025, https://iris.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665/380751/Eurohealth-31-1-6-eng.pdf?sequence=1 

[4] A European Cardiovascular Health Plan: The need and the ambition, May 2022. European Alliance for Cardiovascular Health (EACH). https://www.cardiovascular-alliance.eu/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/EACH-Plan-Final_130522.pdf 

Bridging Borders: promoting public health across cultures

Katarzyna Brukało is an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Public Health, Medical University of Silesia (SUM) in Katowice, Poland. She is a public health and dietetics specialist with over 15 years of academic and research experience. Her current work focuses on innovative approaches to NCD prevention, health promotion, and evidence-based policy. She is actively involved in EU and WHO projects such as JAHEE, Best Re-MaP, Health4EUkids, JACARDI, and JA PreventNCD.

You lead 15 very diverse pilot projects in JA PreventNCD, all centered around the concept of healthy living environments. Why is working at the local level so important, and what impact do you hope these pilots will have?

Our work package is very broad, because we have 15 pilot projects that are all very different. For example, we are adapting breastfeeding best practices from our Norwegian partners and implementing them in Greece. These are two very different contexts, with different conditions, and we also have pilots that promote drinking tap water, among many other activities.

What’s important is that all of these are implemented at the local level. This means we are close to the communities, close to the citizens, and that’s where we can make the biggest impact. Local governments and local structures have real power, and when we use this effectively, we can build on this work to make an impact on national policies as well. It’s like a puzzle: each pilot is one piece, and together they create the bigger picture.

Looking at the bigger picture, what is your dream result at the end of this project journey?

Our vision is not that Norway should become like Greece, or Greece like Norway. Instead, the real goal is that we learn from one another, build a good professional relationship with the facilitators, understand each other’s barriers, and use this knowledge to build responsible, community-based public health initiatives based on peer learning.

SUM University is also active in JACARDI. How do JACARDI and Prevent NCDs complement each other, and what added value do they bring when combined?

It’s very valuable that we are part of both Joint Actions, which we often call sister actions. JACARDI focuses mainly on cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes, while Prevent NCDs addresses non-communicable diseases more broadly, including cancer.

Together, they allow us to tackle the full spectrum of non-communicable diseases. Only by acting together can we make a real impact, not just at the national level but also internationally.

You are known as an engaging communicator. How would you inspire others to make public health messages resonate?

For me, the key in communicating about public health is to be clear and responsible. We need to stand behind every word we say, because mistakes can lead to misinformation or even fuel fake news.

It’s also important to stay open to discussion, even engage in difficult debates and tough questions. Hard questions mean people are listening, reflecting, and engaging with what we say. That is, after all, why it is called public health, because it is for the public, and it must involve the public. Communication is central to this: raising awareness, building health literacy, and empowering people to understand their options.

About the JACARDI & JA PreventNCD collaboration:

The two projects are part of a broader network of European Union initiatives aimed at tackling non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and promoting public health. They work together to share knowledge, strategies, and resources, thereby amplifying their impact across the EU. By harnessing the synergies of these collaborative efforts, we can enhance the effectiveness of our initiatives, ensuring a more comprehensive approach to NCD prevention-and management, as well as health promotion.Explore more about the work of PreventNCDs here.

New online risk test by the Finnish Diabetes Association garners over 120,000 users in just one month

A groundbreaking new digital health initiative in Finland is empowering individuals to assess their risk of developing some of the country’s most common chronic illnesses, all from the comfort of their homes. This tool has been developed as part of a pilot program within JACARDI’s Work Package on screening by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) and the Finnish Diabetes Association.

The new online risk test has already garnered over 120,000 users in just one month, signaling a widespread public interest. In fact, drawing from extensive population-level health data, the tool estimates a person’s likelihood of developing: type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and memory disorders (such as dementia). The risk for type 2 diabetes and heart disease is projected over 10 years, while memory disorders are evaluated over a 20-year timeline.

The test was developed by a team of experts, including Prof. Jaana Lindström, Research Manager at THL and Sari Koski, Director of Diabetes Courses and Knowledge Production at the Finnish Diabetes Association, under JACARDI’s Work Package on Screening, led by Hanna Tolonen from THL. It does not function as a diagnostic tool, yet it offers a general risk assessment based on an individual’s lifestyle and health background, providing valuable insights even before symptoms emerge. It is especially helpful for individuals who may not yet have access to clinical testing or regular medical evaluations.

The test is available online and can be completed in minutes, anonymously and free of charge. It is designed for adults of all ages and is especially relevant for those who are unaware of their risk factors. It can be used independently at home.

Each user receives a personalized summary of their risk, along with science-backed lifestyle suggestions. These include advice in areas, such as diet and nutrition, physical activity, sleep and recovery, and stress management.

By taking the test, individuals are encouraged to make small but impactful changes to their daily habits, changes that could significantly reduce their chances of developing chronic illnesses in the future.

Since its launch in late May 2025, the test has exceeded expectations; the section related to memory disorders has seen particularly high engagement.

This level of adoption underscores a growing interest among the Finnish population in self-directed health promotion and self-care. The success of the initiative also reflects how digital tools can complement traditional healthcare services by raising awareness, prompting early action, and reducing long-term healthcare costs.

Health authorities are enthusiastic about the test’s potential. Prof. Jaana Lindström, from THL, emphasized its preventive power, stating that recognizing risk is key to taking action in time.

Sari Koski, representing the Finnish Diabetes Association, highlighted the importance of modest lifestyle adjustments by saying that even small changes can lead to significant health benefits over time.

This perspective is supported by stark national statistics. Every year in Finland:

• Approximately 23,000 people are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes
• Around 22,000 with coronary artery disease
• About 23,000 begin experiencing memory-related disorders

These figures underline the urgent need for tools that enhance citizens’ awareness of chronic disease risk factors and promote early detection and lifestyle interventions.

For this reason, the launch of this new test quickly gained widespread attention, as the campaign was covered extensively by both major national and local media outlets across Finland. Leading publications highlighted the test’s potential to empower individuals to take control of their health. Regional news platforms played a key role in disseminating the information, ensuring that citizens across the country, from urban centers to rural municipalities, were informed about the tool.

The risk test serves not only as a personal wellness tool but also as a potential model for broader public health efforts. This strategy is not only beneficial for the individual but also contributes to the sustainability of the healthcare system.

Moreover, initiatives like this one are economically sensible: they help curb the rising costs of treating chronic conditions and allow more people to stay healthier and more productive for longer.

Finland’s new online risk test represents a timely and impactful tool for public health promotion. While not a replacement for medical diagnosis, it opens the door to greater personal responsibility and awareness. By bridging digital innovation with health promotion, it empowers citizens to act before illness strikes, and that might just be the key to a healthier future for all.

“There is a positive story to be told here” — what we learned at the DigiCare4You Workshop

In line with HaDEA’s commitment to foster synergies and share knowledge across EU health initiatives, JACARDI actively engages with a wide portfolio of projects – from Joint Actions and EU4Health grants to Horizon-funded interventions. JACARDI team members recently attended the DigiCare4You Capacity Building and Recommendations Development Workshop with International Stakeholders, held in Lisbon during the annual ICIC conference.

The event underscored how ongoing stakeholder engagement is vital to disseminate results, explore upscaling opportunities, develop evidence-based national policies and lay the groundwork for future cross-country collaborations. We invite readers to learn more about this ambitious intervention – running in parallel to our own pilot implementations – which is already demonstrating early results, implementation insights, and an inspiring commitment to meaningful change in health self-management.

A people-centric, digital health solution for preventing and managing diabetes and hypertension

The Horizon2020-funded DigiCare4You project offers a new model for the early prevention and management of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and hypertension (HTN) by engaging schools, communities, and healthcare systems in an intersectoral approach. At its core, the project empowers families and connects health and education sectors, equipping individuals with digital tools to better manage their health.Building on the evidence-based Feel4Diabetes study, DigiCare4You is being implemented in two high-income (Greece, Spain) and two middle-income countries (Albania, Bulgaria), targeting over 10,000 families across socio-economic groups.

Screen, support, empower – the DigiCare4You approach

DigiCare4You applies a two-step screening model leveraging existing child growth monitoring activities in schools and health centers through which parents and caregivers are approached to complete the FINDRISC questionnaire as the first screening step. Adults identified as at risk are then referred for a second screening, which includes anthropometric and clinical assessments to detect conditions such as prediabetes, type 2 diabetes, or hypertension.

Those confirmed at risk are subsequently invited to join the DigiCare4You two-year, mHealth-supported intervention programme, focused on lifestyle change, self-management, and family support. A multilingual mobile app offers access to health data, tracking tools, and educational resources and even recipies. Importantly, the intervention supports healthier behaviors in both adults and children through school and community-based activities.

DigiCare4You combines digital innovation, equity-driven outreach, and participatory research, while integrating into existing systems and investing in health professional training – ensuring sustainable, real-world impact.

Early results revealed: first findings inspire confidence

The Capacity Building and Recommendations Development (CBRD) Workshop gathered international experts at the midpoint of project implementation to review progress and shape the upcoming Roadmap for Scale-Up.Prof. Brian Oldenburg elevated the spirit of the event stating that: “Early findings are promising enough to say that there is a positive story to be told here.” Indeed, early results are compelling:

• Fewer adults with intermediate hyperglycaemia progressed to T2D; many returned to normal glucose levels.
• Participants with T2D improved their HbA1c.
• Adults with obesity experienced weight loss, BMI reduction, and lower cholesterol—without increased medication reliance.

From research to real-world impact

The workshop emphasized the transition from effectiveness to implementation research – examining how interventions work in real-life conditions. Dr Rajesh Vedanthan facilitated a compelling discussion in which implementers candidly shared successes and challenges.

Key takeaways from country implementers:

• Strong consensus: “Yes, we would start and do it again.”
• Motivation stems from seeing behavior change within families—especially when children and caregivers reinforce each other’s progress.
• Burnout among healthcare staff is a concern—but aligning DigiCare4You with existing systems proved an effective strategy.
• Local ownership and trust, especially through primary care systems and schools, were pivotal.
• Participants emphasized the importance of engaging families holistically, with one Bulgarian team member noting how “changing the behavior at home” can be one of the most lasting outcomes.

Additionally, one noted barrier to engagement was previous unsuccessful attempts at weight control, highlighting the need for tailored motivational support.

Cost-effectiveness, scalability, and the road ahead

Preliminary analyses suggest strong cost-effectiveness, especially when targeting adults with intermediate hyperglycaemia in MICs. A Scalability Decision Support Tool was developed to assess implementation readiness across five domains: NCD care context, digital literacy, support systems, screening capacity, and digital integration. These insights inform the forthcoming Roadmap for Scale-Up.

JACARDI Relevance

The presence of experts involved in both JACARDI and DigiCare4You highlights the existence of a vibrant, cross-country network of professionals dedicated to cardiovascular and diabetes care. The workshop featured members of the JACARDI Stakeholder Advisory Board, including a policy advisor from the European Diabetes Federation, epidemiologist and researcher from EUPHA, healthcare professionals involved in the pilot implementation in Portugal, representatives from the industry developing digital tools, and communication experts. Together, these individuals demonstrate the strength of this interconnected community.

Such events provide valuable opportunities to learn, grow and exchange knowledge, and have the potential to shape and enhance the quality of ongoing interventions. Given the different timelines of these projects, the initial findings of the DigiCare4You project can provide valuable insights for the JACARDI teams, given that the implementation of the pilots has only just begun.

Looking ahead

In its final year, DigiCare4You will focus on completing the intervention, finalizing cost-effectiveness studies, and refining its scalability tools. A second CBRD workshop will present final results and a full Roadmap for Scale-Up, providing a concrete guide for policy and replication.

As the burden of type 2 diabetes (T2D) in Europe is expected to reach 72 million people by 2050, DigiCare4You is emerging as a promising prevention model. “We design a programme, and when we start to implement it, we are confronted with the reality on the ground. Reality is revealed, and we act according to people’s needs,” said Prof. Yannis Manios, Project Coordinator. Meeting people where they are – with empathy, innovation and commitment – may be the most powerful intervention of all.

Discover more about the DigiCare4You project here.

JACARDI’s voices on the scientific stage across Europe

The first half of 2025 has been a busy and productive time for JACARDI, with consortium members sharing key findings and pilot implementation highlights at leading scientific conferences across Europe. These contributions, spanning health literacy, integrated care, biomarker-based screening, and health economics, demonstrate the depth and scope of the work underway across multiple work packages.

Spotlight on ICIC25 – Lisbon, Portugal | May 14–16, 2025

JACARDI had a strong presence at the 25th International Conference on Integrated Care (ICIC25) with three distinct contributions representing different work packages:

Irati Erreguerena (Work Package 6 – Health literacy) delivered an oral presentation on a co-designed health literacy program for adolescents in the Basque Country, Spain. Her talk highlighted how WHO’s Health Literacy Development Model, and the Ophelia (Optimising Health Literacy and Access) co-design methodology were applied to empower younger populations with knowledge and tools for chronic disease prevention.

Yhasmine Hamu (Work Package 9 – Integrated care pathways) presented on the implementation of a value-based integrated care model, sharing strategies to address care fragmentation and improve outcomes for people with chronic conditions.

Gergely Varga (Representing both Work Package 9 – Integrated care pathways and Work Package 5 – Methodological framework) contributed a poster that outlined a situational analysis methodology designed to support integrated care.

Faculty of Public Health Summer Scientific Meeting – Dublin, Ireland | May 20–21, 2025

Sonja Moore (Work Package 8 – Screening) presented findings from a scoping literature review on the use of natriuretic peptides in cardiovascular risk stratification and management. Her poster focused on current strategies and approaches for using these biomarkers in patient populations without diagnosed heart failure, a topic gaining traction in preventive cardiology. The review aimed to inform more targeted screening protocols and identify gaps in clinical practice across Europe.

COMET Conference – Poznań, Poland | June 25–27, 2025

Richard Osborne (Work Package 6 – Health Literacy) represented JACARDI at the 23rd International and Interdisciplinary Conference on Communication, Medicine, and Ethics (COMET). His oral presentation focused on scaling up health literacy development as a strategy to prevent and manage non-communicable diseases. The talk stressed the need for strategic investment in communication and co-design at the system level.

1st European Public Health Economics Conference
– Palermo, Italy | June 26–27, 2025

Katie Ellwood (Work Package 8 – Screening) presented a pilot study from JACARDI aiming to establish the most cost-effective threshold for using NT-proBNP blood marker in cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk stratification. The analysis models the impact of different thresholds over a 30-year horizon in a large population cohort. This pioneering work within JACARDI bridges clinical practice with health economics, helping to inform sustainable, evidence-based screening strategies.

These scientific initiatives reflect JACARDI’s commitment to knowledge-sharing, collaboration, and measurable impact. Consortium members not only showcased research but also engaged with policymakers, practitioners, and academics, advancing the mission to improve cardiovascular and diabetes outcomes across Europe. The autumn season offers a variety of relevant conferences, kicking off right at the end of summer with the Congress of the European Society of Cardiology, taking place from 29 August to 1 September.